May 29 2008

Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - Year of the Rabbit 7″

Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 14:01

Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate)
Year of the Rabbit 7”
Count Your Lucky Stars Records; 2008

Back in the day (boy, do I sound old), being an emo band didn’t mean that there was some predetermined uniform of tight jeans, ironic t-shirts, and eyeliner that must be donned before the music was performed. It used to mean that one had an unabashedly huge heart and the ability to craft intense pop songs without any anger or irony present. It’s that ethos that jumps out from the onset of the Year of the Rabbit 7” from Michigan quartet Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate). The 7” is comprised of two tracks that reflect the dual nature of certain strains of ‘90s emo: the A-side, “Year of the Rabbit,” evokes a moody introspection that refuses to become ugly in the face of pain, while the B-side, “IDK, My BFF Jill,” finds the band waxing melancholic as they regard their hurt, but doing so with a louder, more earnest voice. There’s a steady pacing and passion present here, reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate’s more mellow material. Stay tuned for the band’s full-length release later on in 2008.

May 29 2008

Title Fight - Kingston 7″

Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 10:14

Title Fight
Kingston 7”
Attic Records; 2008

The beauty behind great punk music is that it’s this unbelievably striking combination of ferocity and brevity. Chugging guitars, double-time drums, and unrelenting, in-your-face vocals come together to create the ultimate sonic short story. So, while Title Fight isn’t really doing anything new with the release of their Kingston 7”, it is fun and immediately listenable. “Memorial Field” serves as the lead track and sets off the classic theme of painful young love that thematically connects the three songs. “Loud and Clear” finds our singer mulling over what went wrong between him and the object of his affection, calling out his frustrations at the top of his lungs. It’s only on “Youreyeah” that the singer realizes that there is no need to pine away endlessly over an unrequited love, even as much as it might hurt. Fusing all of this together is a heady brew of punk rock that calls to mind Avail, Fifteen, and MxPx, leaving the listener wanting to hear much more than this sample has to offer. Gimme more!